Tobacco nazi perpetrator alert: If you smoke, your fired!

[texasmade]

I hate the whole world.

Hating the world can be bad to your health. In fact, did you know that "hating the world" puts a strain of $8 billion on the health care industry each year? Did you know that it costs 6.5% more to provide health care to someone who routinely hates the world an an average lifetime basis?

From now on, those who hate the world need to pay a $1 a day tax and you will be fired from your job if you hate the world on company and/or private time.

but loving the world one boy at a time gets you free healthcare and a spot on the clergy

[f. bandersnatch]

People that run good businesses concern themselves with whether or not you are at work on time and capable of doing your job.

I once worked for a company that took piss tests for drugs (insurance reasons; it was a construction job.)

I told the boss when I got the job that I smoked weed and that I would stop for as long as I worked for him. He thought that was pretty shady, and I spent approx. 50% of my time working for him sitting in a corporate health care waiting room and doling out urine samples to surly nurses.

I was, of course compensated for this, and I passed every test.

What a dumb way to run a business.

[desirexe]

If these tobacco-free companies are going to test for nicotine, I'd claim to use Nicorette, which contains nicotine:

From Nicorette's FAQ website:
How long will the nicotine stay in my blood or urine?
Trace amounts of nicotine can be detected in blood and urine for several hours, but it should be gone by 48 hours. However, if you are being tested for nicotine, there is a metabolite of nicotine, called cotinine, which can be detected in blood or urine for as long as 7 to 10 days after your last exposure to nicotine.

On another note - I found it quite interesting that the FDA has not approved Nicorette for assisting smokeless users wishing to quit, it is only for smokers.

[Mordred]

The law would raise questions about how far any government entity should be allowed to go in order to regulate legal, personal habits.

There shouldn't even be a question. This is just as wrong as firing somebody for drinking Pepsi, having homosexual relationships or praying to Krishna. A private company may get away with it, but not the government.

The very fact that they're even considering this is disgraceful.

[justintempler]

If the rational is to reduce health care costs..

What's next? fire people that are X number of pounds overweight?

[WickedKitchen]

I think that step might not be far off Justin.

Height and weight are pretty bad for premiums too, at least as far as life insurance goes...I think the same reasoning will be applied to healthcare en masse within a decade.

It's frustrating as hell. I'm in pretty damn good shape but they don't care about that. I could run five miles w/ my doctor on my back and still have the strength to throw her a fair distance but at the end of the day they don't differentiate between muscle and fat. I'm 6' tall and weigh over 250# so according to the "industry" I'm moderately obese so I've got to pay more. MUCH more.

It makes me want to spit.

If their skinny make 'em bring ya home a good penny
If they're fat...make 'em pay like they weigh

[sgreger1]

In the end Justin I think that will happen. They are using the same tactics Bush used with his whole fight against terrorism thing: label something as terrorist and therefore bad, and the people will let you take things from them to combat against it.

Look at healthcare, if they can put a # on how much money it costs the HC industry, they can demonize it, obesity will be the next thing to abolish.
And look at the global warming movement, if it emits CO-2, it's bad and can therefore be regulated. It is an old but good strategy, demonize something and then you can tax/regulate it to death.

[texasmade]

eugenics...that is all

[justintempler]

This just in:

<embed src="http://widgets.clearspring.com/o/4ae8d36a3102598f/4bceff1e3eba9ef6/4ae8d36a3102598f/e1bb6cd5/-cpid/570c41943637f163" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed>

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/hold...-food-10429547

[truthwolf1]

I think since I was not allowed to smoke in bars because it was a danger to the public and myself that people should not be allowed to get intoxicated in bars because it is a danger to the public and themselves.

[sgreger1]

This just in:



http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/hold...-food-10429547

Surprise surprise. You know while I talk about it a lot, I really only mildly care about most do-gooder regulation, but if they try to take the salt out of my food and ban trans fats etc, I mean if I can't get a good meal I am going to farking riot. Imagine being a grandpa thinking back to the old days where the food tasted so good, but salt rations have all but banned deliciouseness lol.


They have proposed these healthy eating laws a million times, I doubt they will pass. Once the HC system runs even more out of money than they may have a chance at passing this. I mean have you seeen how fat americans are? Taking away their twinkies and salt is going to cause a revolution lol.

[danielan]

Scott's did the same thing...

http://www.boston.com/news/local/mas...oses_in_court/

[truthwolf1]

I am so glad and lucky I have never had to take a piss test for some uptight AMERICAN slave shop.

[dEFinitionofEPIC]

eugenics...that is all

DING DING DING - Ladies and Gentlemen we have a winner!

[WickedKitchen]

i had to take a piss test for an uptight American life insurance company. It was a long three days w/o nicotine.

Yeah, what about spouses/kids that are on the plan. Wait and see...they'll go after them too. I'm actually shocked to read that there are states that prohibit this type of selection. Good for them.

Apparently I live in one of the ones that does not prohibit that selection but my company is in NJ (and moving to PA), I just live and work in MA.